Lima Public Library Book Reviews

FICTION

Jewish Futures: Science Fiction from the World’s Oldest Diaspora by Michael A Burstein

Between these covers, you’ll find tales of the last Jew, Jewish space lasers, and the remarkable connection between brisket and zombies. You’ll experience the breath-taking experiences of climbing Mt. Everest while religious, and of competing in futuristic sporting combinations in the Olympics. You’ll explore the questions of just what will we do when the artificial intelligences controlling our homes become more religious than we?

The Cognomina Codex by D. Eric Maikranz

Evan Michaels is back in a new life as a Syrian refugee. When strange memories of his former lives lead him back to Zurich, headquarters of his old family of fellow reincarnationists, he must reacquire their trust to rejoin their ranks. On the last leg of this journey, he is intercepted by an excommunicated member of the Cognomina who holds some serious grudges. She’s on a mission to wipe out large portions of the world’s population to save the planet from destruction and animals from extinction.

The Last Dance of the Debutante by Julia Kelly

When it’s announced that 1958 will be the last year debutantes are to be presented at court, thousands of eager mothers and hopeful daughters flood the palace with letters seeking the year’s most coveted invitation: a chance for their daughters to curtsy to the young Queen Elizabeth and officially come out into society. In an effort to appease her traditional mother, aspiring university student Lily Nichols agrees to become a debutante and do the Season, a glittering and grueling string of countless balls and cocktail parties.

The Flames by Sophie Haydock

Amid an opulent society living under the shadow of war are four muses, women whose bodies were shown in intimate detail, depicted by the charming yet controversial artist Egon Schiele. Adele, his passionate and fierce admirer; Gertrude, his sister who survived their blighted childhood but is possessive, single-minded, and jealous; his mistress Vally, a poor young woman from a bad background but with steel at her core; and the two, very different, Harms sisters, Edith and Adele, both of whom vie to become Schiele’s wife.

NON-FICTION

The Injustice of Place: Uncovering the Legacy of Poverty in America by Kathryn J. Edin

Three of the nation’s top scholars ­– known for tackling key mysteries about poverty in America – turn their attention from the country’s poorest people to its poorest places. Based on a fresh, data-driven approach, they discover that America’s most disadvantaged communities are not the big cities that get the most notice. Instead, nearly all are rural. Little if any attention has been paid to these places or to the people who make their lives there.

American Gun: The True Story of the AR-15 by Cameron McWhirter

In the 1950s, an obsessive firearms designer named Eugene Stoner invented the AR-15 rifle in a California garage. High-minded and patriotic, Stoner sought to devise a lightweight, easy-to-use weapon that could replace the M1s touted by soldiers in World War II. What he did create was a lethal handheld icon of the American century.

How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We’re Going by Vaclav Smil

We have never had so much information at our fingertips and yet most of us don’t know how the world really works. This book explains seven of the most fundamental realities governing our survival and prosperity. From energy and food production, through our material world and its globalization, to risks, our environment and its future, How the World Really Works offers a much-needed reality check—because before we can tackle problems effectively, we must understand the facts.

Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood by Ashlee Gadd

Motherhood and creativity can coexist. You have creative dreams swirling in your heart, but pursuing them while changing diapers and managing the carpool schedule feels impossible. You have no time. No space. You can mother, or you can create. You certainly can’t do both (right?!).

But what if you could pursue your creative gifts alongside motherhood, for the enrichment of both experiences? What if you stopped viewing creativity as a selfish act, and started to see it as essential to your own flourishing as a mother?

CHILDREN’S

Sesame Street Field Trips (series) by Christy Peterson

Join the Sesame Street Muppet gang as they go on field trips to places around town. Preschoolers will explore some familiar community locations and helpers in this bright and engaging series designed to stimulate children’s curiosity in the world around them. Grover, Elmo, Big Bird, Bert & Ernie, Cookie Monster, Zoe and all the Sesame Street friends have a great time discovering how jobs get done in places we go every day. Titles Include trips to the Fire Station, Post Office, Farm, Zoo and Library. Come along for the ride and celebrate your neighborhood and your city!

Ages: 3 – 7

LIBRARY OPEN

• Lima Public Library is open to the public six days a week. Hours for the Main Library in Lima are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Our Cairo, Elida and Spencerville branch libraries are open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Our Lafayette branch is open from 12 noon to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday.

• Curbside pickup is available at the Main Library from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Arrangements can be made by calling 567-712-5239, contacting the library through Facebook Messenger, or putting a hold on a book through the online catalog. 24 hour notice is required. Call us when you arrive (park near the main entrance) and your items will be brought to you.